[NostalgiaRadioTime]

I started working on a 38-10 that was incredibly grimy. Almost like it was in a kitchen and picked up years of cooking grease in the air. Or perhaps it was soot from a woodstove. Whatever it was, the top of the cabinet was black. It looked like someone spray painted it with flat black primer.

So, I tried an old trick I heard about years ago. I took a wooden scrub brush with short stiff bristles, and a container of goop (or gojo) hand cleaner. Coating the brush with the hand cleaner, I began to scrub the top of the cabinet and was amazed at how the grime just melted away, revealing a still decent finish. I found it worked best going against the grain or even in a circular motion. You don't have to worry about scratching the finish, a lot of pressure isn't neccessary. Just let the hand cleaner work its way in and it will loosen the grit and grime nicely.

Try it sometime before you decide to strip and refinish a dull looking cabinet. You just might be surprised how much you can salvage.

[Arran]

I've been doing that for years, though I usually use a paper towel or a rag and work at it a small section at a time.
Regards
Arran

[FXpert]

I've used the go-jo with 000 steel wool with very good results. Of course I go with the grain.